Young Volunteer Reaches Milestone in Animal Shelter Reading Program
July 27, 2026
A young resident of Florida, 11-year-old Nehemiah Turner, has set a remarkable example of kindness by dedicating over two years to reading to animals at a local shelter.
Nehemiah has achieved an unprecedented milestone by becoming the first child to complete 100 volunteer hours in the Jacksonville Humane Society’s Pawsitive Reading program. This initiative allows children to read to shelter animals, aiding both in educational development and animal comfort.
Nehemiah Turner / Jacksonville Humane Society
For Nehemiah, his time spent at the shelter offers a chance to provide comfort to animals awaiting adoption. “I hope that they get adopted, and I hope I achieved my goal too,” he shared with ABC News.
The program is designed to both enhance children’s reading skills and provide a soothing atmosphere for the animals. Nehemiah describes the experience as calming and rewarding, stating, “It feels soothing, feels good, calm, comforted animals, not like a whole bunch of barking is happening.”
Nehemiah’s journey began over two years ago when he visited the shelter with his grandmother. His first reading partner was a dog named Auggie, a memory he recalls fondly. “I went up there with my book, and I sat down with this dog named Auggie,” he said. “I started to read to him, and after we had to leave, I started to cry, because I didn’t want to leave the humane society.”
In June, Nehemiah’s contributions were officially recognized when he became the first volunteer in the program to complete 100 reading hours. The Jacksonville Humane Society celebrated his dedication with a certificate.
The CEO of the Jacksonville Humane Society, Lawrence Nicolas, commended Nehemiah for his extraordinary dedication. “One hundred hours read here at the shelter is such an amazing accomplishment over two years. That’s some serious dedication for a young person like Nehemiah,” he remarked.
Nicolas also highlighted the broader impact of Nehemiah’s efforts, noting, “Nehemiah reminds us that meaningful change often begins with one simple act of kindness. By dedicating his time to reading with animals here at the shelter, he has not only helped homeless pets but also inspired those around him to see the difference one person can make.”
Nehemiah Turner / Jacksonville Humane Society
This initiative has benefits extending beyond the animals. Nehemiah, who is about to start sixth grade with excellent grades, has also improved his literacy skills through this program.
Nicolas hopes Nehemiah’s story will inspire more families to participate. “This is a place where we can put the tablet and the electronics down, pick up a good old fashioned book, and read to somebody who really wants to hear your voice. How can you beat that?” he asked.
Despite his accomplishments, Nehemiah is not stopping. Looking forward, he aims to reach even higher goals, saying, “What’s next? I think we got to set up a new hour. So I think I set up like 110, 150, and 200 hours.”
For the animals at the Jacksonville Humane Society, Nehemiah’s continued dedication promises further comfort and hope for a future with loving families.
